Save Our School Playing Fields!

From: Ian Palmer [mailto:action@38degrees.org.uk]
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2012 05:49 PM
To: Linda Roy
Subject: Save school playing fields
 

Dear Linda, It’s just emerged that over a million children could lose the fields where they play. [1] The Education Secretary, Michael Gove, has quietly relaxed the rules protecting school playing fields. Many people are worried that this could open the door for them to be sold off to developers. Without playing fields it’s hard to imagine the children of today - the Team GB of tomorrow - will ever match this year’s record Olympic medal haul. If playing fields are sold off and built on, there’ll be no way to get them back. Once they're gone, they're gone. Right now David Cameron and his Government won't want a scandal about school playing fields taking the shine off the Olympic legacy. [2] There’s a great chance that if tens of thousands of 38 Degrees members create a public outcry by building a big petition, Michael Gove will back down to make sure the Olympic after-party continues on a high. Click here to sign the petition to Michael Gove to save school children's play areas: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/playing-fields For lots of people, playing outside at break time left them with some of their happiest memories of school. But happy memories aren’t the only long-term benefit of having proper places for children to play. Running around outside gives children the chance to get into good exercise habits early in life. And it can help them concentrate in class the rest of the time, so they learn faster. [3] The Government is already feeling the heat - already a national newspaper has launched a campaign on this issue. [4] We can build on this pressure and, together, we can make that final push to persuade Michael Gove to do the right thing. We’ve already had one great success around the Olympics - our massive petition persuaded sponsors not to take advantage of a tax-break available to them. Together, as the Paralympic Games approach, we have a great chance of persuading the Government to protect the play areas of our future Olympians. Click here to sign the petition: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/playing-fields Thanks for being involved, Ian, Marie, Hannah and the 38 Degrees team PS: Just a few days ago David Cameron announced his plans to make sport in schools compulsory. [5] Where are kids going to play sports if playing fields have been sold off? Sign the petition here: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/playing-fields NOTES: [1] Telegraph: Keep the Flame Alive: A million pupils could lose sports fields http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9478635/Keep-the-Flame-Alive-A-million-pupils-could-lose-sports-fields.html Guardian: School sports fields in danger as government relaxes rules: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/aug/14/school-sports-fields-government-olympics Telegraph: Keep The Flame Alive: Team sports blow for schools http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/keep-the-flame-alive/9475984/Keep-The-Flame-Alive-School-playing-fields-at-risk-as-ministers-relax-building-rules.html [2] Number 10: PM appoints Seb Coe as Olympics legacy ambassador http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/pm-appoints-seb-coe-as-olympics-legacy-ambassador/ [3] Exercise 'helps' school children concentrate: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/8629867.stm [4] Telegraph: Keep the flame alive http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/keep-the-flame-alive/ [5] BBC: School competitive team sports move unveiled http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19219942

Paralympics discrimnatory ticket allocation - protest!

Thanks to Joe Malone for bringing this to my attention. Please join the campaign.

Tell London 2012 to review their Paralympic ticketing policy and allow families to sit together Sign My Petition Joe - The London 2012 Olympic Games were brilliant. My family - particularly my two children - loved it. I decided I wanted to take them to the Paralympic Games to sample the once in a lifetime showcase of disabled sport in London.   I'm a wheelchair user, with a four-year-old autistic son and a nineteen-month-old daughter. Naturally we wanted to sit together and, particularly as it’s the Paralympics, I assumed there would be adequate provision to allow for this.    So I was stunned to hear that there was no way that this could happen as there is a policy that wheelchair users can only be accompanied by one other person, meaning that either my children or my husband have to sit far away from me.   I’ve started a petition on Change.org calling on London 2012 to review this policy. Please click here to join me.   I cannot believe that this event, designed to inspire a new generation of athletes, has a discriminatory ticketing policy. It's essential that my husband sits with me as he helps me with things I need to do and clearly my kids can't sit separately.    Aside from these practical considerations, I want to share this special occasion with my family, but I'm being prevented from doing so just because I am in a wheelchair.   Please join my campaign to get the organisers of the Paralympics to change this ticketing policy for these and future Games - so every family can share the Paralympics together.   Thank you,   Beth This email was sent by Change.org to Jmalone@Cwu.org   |   Start a petition Unsubscribe. Edit your email notification settings.

CWU Women's Conference - Online registration

No. 595 /12

Ref: GS 8.0

Date:  6th August 2012

 To: All Branches

Dear Colleague

CWU Women’s Conference Saturday 15^th  September 2012 On-Line Registration of  Delegates and Observers
In order to improve the level of information gathered for monitoring purposes, this year the union will be trialling an on-line registration process for the Women’s and other CWU Equality Conferences.

Branches were advised in LTB 558/12 that further information would be sent directly to them and on 31^st July 2012 Branch Secretaries were individually emailed with their unique link to the registration pages - which allow for two branch delegates and unrestricted observers to be registered.

The purpose of this letter is to notify you of the process contained in the email of 31^st July 2012 and to encourage as many branches as possible to send representatives to this Conference.

Branches are reminded that delegates and observers should be registered on-line by Friday 7^th September 2012.

 Should any Branch Secretary encounter any difficulties with this process or, if you would wish to discuss this matter in advance of submitting the on-line registration, please contact the General Secretary’s Office on 0208 971 7259.

W HAYES

General Secretary

                                       

CWU NEC election candidates. Use your vote!

 Best wishes to all candidates. I've won and lost elections so if you're not successful this time
try again. CWU members please use your vote!

National Executive Council election candidates confirmed

31st July 2012
Candidates running in the election for a position on the CWU's National Executive Council (NEC) have now been confirmed after yesterday (Monday) marked the closing date for nominations.
Candidates are:
Mahmood Ali, Birmingham Amalgamated
Tony Bouch, Plymouth & East Cornwall Amalgamated
Bruce Devenport, Greater Manchester
Kye Dudd, Bristol & District Amalgamated
Ian Ward, South East London Postal & Counter
Bobby Weatherall, Northern Ireland Combined
Ballot papers will be enclosed with the August Postal edition of Voice magazine dispatched from the 7^th August 2012.The ballot closes on the 28^th August 2012 with the results due to be announced on the 30^th August 2012.
The term of office will be from the 5^thSeptember 2012 for a period not exceeding one year.
The position became available following NEC member Noel McClean leaving the CWU for employment elsewhere. Noel held a seat in the CWU's postal constituency opening up nominations only to branches with members in this section.
In order to protect the integrity of this very important national election and to ensure that the union is legally compliant with the relevant legislation covering such an election, election prize draws should not be conducted unless written authorisation has been given by the senior deputy general secretary.
For more information about the election regulations, please seeLTB 521/12 and LTB 579/12.
The timetable for the election is as follows:
Nominations opened: 16 July 2012
Nominations closed: 30 July 2012
Ballot papers despatched: 7 August 2012
Ballot closes: 28 August 2012
Result announced: 30 August 2012
For any enquiries, please contact Peter Metcalfe in the senior deputy general secretary department on telephone: 0208 971 7368, or e-mail: pmetcalfe@cwu.org

CWU Women's Conference

LTB 558/12 - CWU Women's Conference 2012 - Saturday 15th September 2012

No. 558/12

Ref:  womconf/12/an

Date:  24th July 2012

TO:      ALL BRANCHES
Dear Colleagues,
CWU Women’s Conference 2012 - Saturday 15^th September 2012
Further to LTB 309/12 you will be aware that the CWU Womens Conference will be held on Saturday 15^th September 2012 at The Bull Hotel, Westgate, Peterborough, PE1 1RB.
Delegates
Branches are entitled to send two delegates to the Conference.  A new on-line registration system for registering delegates and observers to the conference will be trialled.   Information on how this works and how to register will be sent directly to Branch Secretaries in a separate email.  Any queries regarding the registration process should be directed to toneil@cwu.org
Motions
Each Branch is entitled to submit 1 motion for consideration to be included on the agenda of the Conference. Motions should be submitted electronically to conferences@cwu.org using the template attached. Branches who do not have this facility may request paper motion forms by contacting Angela Niven on 020 8971 7256.
Motion forms must be returned by Wednesday 22^nd August 2012.  Anything received after this date will not be accepted.  All sections of the form must be completed. If submitted electronically only motions emailed to the above email address will be accepted.
As with previous Equality Conferences, the agenda will be structured in such a way as to maximise debate and participation by delegates. There will be 2 sections to the agenda, one for motions which are eligible for consideration for submission to General Conference, and one for motions that in the view of the Standing Orders Committee would not be admissible to the General Conference agenda.
Branches will be aware that the Women’s Conference has the entitlement under the rules of the union to submit 2 motions to stand in the name of the conference to General Conference. It is therefore important that if branches wish their motions to be in this category, they must contain policy that is capable of being discharged by the NEC, as opposed to either of the Industrial Executives.
As with previous Equality Conferences, the 2 motions for submission to the General Conference agenda will be decided from amongst those motions adopted at the Conference. A ballot to select the 2 motions will be held at the Conference.
Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Angela Niven either by post to head office or by email to conferences@cwu.org
Yours sincerely,
A P Kearns
Senior Deputy General Secretary

Leeds Pride pictures

Had a brilliant time at Leeds pride yesterday. Great parade, excellent entertainment and music in Briggate. A day of love and peace. Congratulations to the organisers and everyone who attended.